The Glass Kingdom
by Honor Harrington
Summary: The assassination of the Sanc Kingdom's ruler, Miliardo Peacecraft, calls forth legendary knights and a group of heroes to save the Glass Kingdom from the OZ force.
1. Default Chapter Title

Chapter One:  
  
The Sanc Kingdom has risen to promote peace. The whole Earth looks to it for an example to follow. The ruler, Miliardo Peacecraft, has united the world in one alliance. It is called the Salaam Standard. But a small group of angry persons devises a way to assassinate Miliardo. They will in no way conquer the Sanc Kingdom, but their satisfaction is in killing the person that they hate the most.  
  
"Hope, I want you to try a foward spring then sweep," Noin looked at Hope, a 15-year-old, black-haired trainee. Hope bent her legs, and coiled up for the foward spring. The training continued.  
On the other side of the room, a girl was on a running machine, jogging. She was watching Noin train Hope.  
"Miss Noin, can't I go faster?" the girl was jogging sideways, looking at Noin.  
"Jenna, you stay at that pace! I want stamina, not sprints!"  
Jenna sighed, "Okay."  
"--And face foward!" Noin raised her eyebrows in expectation as the girl faced foward and continued jogging.  
"Miss Noin?" Hope looked at her teacher.  
"That's me," Noin glanced at Hope as she performed an excellent routine.  
"Say I have a problem," Noin raised her eyebrows, "--not that I do, I was just thinking."  
"Okay."  
"Well, I have a problem, right? And I have to options, A and B. They both will cost me something I can't afford to lose. But I can't just sit here and do nothing. What do I do?"  
"Well first of all, you mentioned three options: A, B, and C," Noin nodded as Jenna cocked her head, confused, "Your option C was to sit there and do nothing. Secondly, you don't have to conform to two choices. Whenever you lay out the options you have, and don't like any of them, think for a moment and make your own option. If there isn't a road to get to the place you're going, make one."  
Hope nodded, satisfied with the answer.  
  
  
  
"Miliardo!!" Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft stood in the corner of the kitchen, screaming. "Miliardo!!!!!!!! Heeeeeeeeellllllllllllpppppppppp!"  
A ruffled Mr. Peacecraft comes rushing in, expecting to see his wife with a knife sticking out of her side, or worst. But she is standing in the corner of the kitchen, pointing at something on the floor.  
"Help," wimpers Noin.  
"Noin!! It's only a roach!" Noin looks up, and then down at the roach, "It's disgusting!"  
"Fine, then," Miliardo steps on it and the result: bug juice.  
"Yuck!" Noin looks up, "Thanks."  
Miliardo shakes his head and smiles at Noin, "You wimp."  
Noin sticks her tongue out at the long-haired man standing a few feet from her. She glances away as she suddenly sees a laser pointing into the room as the dot roams, looking for her husband, "Miliardo!!" she tackles him to the ground, and he looks startled.  
"Three men, two o'clock. I think they're attempted assassins," Noin crouched.  
Miliardo ducked also. A bullet came rocketing through the window, shattering glass on the floor and left the stud in the wall.  
"Dang! I just wallpapered that!!" Noin pulled out a Derringer .85 out of her pant leg and held it with both hands in front of her, "Go!"  
They scamper down the hallway with Noin watching their backs. Behind them, Miliardo can hear people following them. He hears Noin pop off a couple of rounds at idle heads sticking out into the hallway. Just as Noin and Miliardo turn the corner, a couple shots glance off the walls.  
Miliardo stopped short, making Noin sidestep in order to avoid a collision. A man was standing with a gun in hand, pointed directly at Miliardo. Miliardo and Noin were standing side-by-side, and the gunman didn't see him squeeze her hand. Suddenly, they lunged at the man, knocking him out. Noin took the lead, and Miliardo was following. Noin kept running until she hear a shot ring out and turned to see her husband falling. The gunmen ran away, their mission accomplished.  
Noin dropped to the ground and ripped her cuff to put direct pressure on the wound in his side.  
His brow furrowed, Miliardo looked up at Noin, "I never did like that wallpaper anyway." He died in Noin's arms in that hallway. Security personell filed in and checked and double-checked to make sure the assassins had left. Noin wept deeply for her loss and gave Miliardo a kiss on the cheek.  
"My lightning baron," she whispered in his ear and she stood, wiping away the tears.  
The media soon got the story, and soon the whole kingdom was upset over the death of their king.  
  
  
Jenna and Hope filed their way through the security personell outside Miliardo's office. Jenna rapped on the door and after a few seconds, it opened revealing Noin in a suit and skirt.  
"What are you doing?!" Hope cried at Noin.  
"I'm taking over the Sanc Kingdom. I'm the only resident Peacecraft," Noin glanced away, then strolled to the desk, filing papers, "I know you girls have worked hard at training, and I believe that there's nothing more I can teach you."  
Jenna sighed and looked at Noin, "Okay, then. You get some rest, though. We'll be back."  
The girls shut their door behind them and a second later, they heard a yell from inside. Bursting back in, Noin was no longer there. The window was shattered and they found some blood on the floor.  
"Dangit, they're gonna pay." The security guards were right behind them, and one of them kicked the desk in frustration.  
  
  
The kingdom was in havoc, and the chaos began when the remnants of OZ invaded the Kingdom and took over the main office of the Sanc Kingdom. Jenna and Hope escaped to hideout with a small family in the center of the town.  
"Jenna, I don't like this. We should go after Noin," Hope covered her face with her hands as she growled in frustration.  
"I agree, but what would happen if we left? The people would get terrorized. Noin taught us that our first responsibility was to the people. We can't just abandon everything she taught us," Jenna put a hand on Hope's shoulder, "It's gonna be okay, and in the meantime, we can stomp all over OZ." 


	2. Default Chapter Title

I made the format easier to read this time...I figured that last story was kinda confusing without the spaces in between =)  
  
The Glass Kingdom: Chapter Two  
  
The Glass Kingdom  
  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
"Jenna." Granny Jove put a hand on the girl's shoulder. Jenna was sitting on the couch in the small house that the Jove family lived in. She was staring out the window, worrying over Noin.  
  
Jenna looked up at the small, elderly woman with glassy eyes, "I don't understand why they'd do that...it makes me so mad. I'm gonna make each and every one of those OZ scumbags pay for each and every life they've stolen from this world. Especially for kidnapping Noin. She didn't deserve this. I'm going to fight until the whole Earth respects our demand for peace. We won't bargain any more. It's war until I reach peace." Jenna was making a promise to herself more than speaking to Granny Jove.  
  
"I understand, Jenna. Sometimes we just have to do our best, and be happy with it."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jenna looked up at the elderly woman.  
  
"It means that even if you cannot bring King Miliardo back, or even if the OZ force triumphs, we just have to stand on faith and trust God with all we have."  
  
"I know. It's hard."  
  
"Jenna dear, it's always hard."  
  
Hope walked up and sat on a stool next to Granny Jove, "Do you think it's possible for peace to exist in today's world?" Hope gave a worried look to Jenna, "You ok?"  
  
Jenna nodded and Granny Jove sat next to Jenna on the couch, "Someone certainly thought it possible. Twenty years ago, the princess of this nation, Relena Peacecraft, pursued her dream of total pacifism."  
  
  
  
Sanc Kingdom, 20 years earlier  
  
Relena sat at her desk, filing papers and sighed, "I don't get paid enough for this," she muttered. Then she smiled as she fingered the picture of Heero which stood next to a brown teddy bear.  
  
"Relena?" a knock was at the door.  
  
"Come in!" Relena placed the papers to the side and stood up to welcome the visitor.  
  
The door opened, and Relena smiled, "Miliardo! I'm so glad you're here! Care to help me organize my papers?"  
  
The tall man smiled, "Only if you join Noin and I for lunch today."  
  
"Agreed," Miliardo sat down across from Relena. He glanced at some papers before eyeing something behind her through her large double window--"Relena!! Get down!"  
  
He dove over the desk and pulled her off her chair. A shot came ringing through the window, shattering glass. Miliardo placed himself in front of his little sister protectively as he shoved her out the door. He slammed it behind him. He pulled out a radio, "Noin!! I need you here now! Get a chopper for Relena...we're taking her to a secure location."  
  
"...Understood!" came the reply.  
  
"Relena, are you okay?!"  
  
Relena's eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded, "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Good girl. I need to you trust me and move when I tell you to," Miliardo grabbed Relena's hand, "Can you do that for me?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Good. Let's go,"  
  
  
They made their way to the roof where Noin was waiting in a chopper.  
  
"Miliardo, where am I going?" Relena shouted above the noise.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll take care of your people. The Sanc Kingdom will survive, as long as you live!" Miliardo shouted. "I love you, little sister!"  
  
"Wait! Miliardo!!" Relena shouted as the chopper took off. She saw her brother standing on the landing pad...iI'm sorry, my dear people. I'll be back.../i  
  
  
At the abandoned base, Noin led Relena inside, "Miss Relena-- I just have to say, I'm sorry and I will do whatever I can to stop these people."  
  
"What people? I don't understand!"  
  
"We've been tracking the efforts of a few OZ extremists. Their plan was to assassinate the leader of the Sanc Kingdom. We know they won't stop until they're dead, or until they kill you." Noin looked away.  
  
Relena heard this, and a spark came to her eyes, "I will not be the cause of war," her voice was steady and firm, "I hand the Sanc Kingdom over into Miliardo's care."  
  
Noin nodded, "Thank you, Miss Relena. I couldn't bear to have anything happen to you."  
  
  
Later that night...  
  
Relena woke with a start, only to have her mouth covered with a hand. Heero stood in front of her. Relena's eyes widened and Heero removed his hand, "I wasn't sure if you'd scream."  
  
"Heero! What are you doing here?! How'd you find me!"  
  
"I'm going to finish what I started. I'm going to kill you, Relena."  
  
Relena couldn't believe her ears, "What?!!!"  
  
Heero smiled, "Come with me. We're going now." He pulled her with him to a mobile suit carrier, "I've staged your death. We've taken care of everything."  
  
  
  
  
"So what happened to her? Where did she go?" Jenna interrupted Granny Jove.  
  
"Yeah, what happened?" Hope leaned forward.  
  
"Well, no one really knows where she is now, but story has it that when the Glass Kingdom needs her the most, she and her knights will come back to save her people. And I trust her." 


End file.
